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This work was funded through King Abdulaziz University, under the financing of the collaborative project Selection and application of aptamers against anabolic steroids.

Analysis of institutional authors

Botero Gallego, Mary LuzAuthorSkouridou, VasoulaAuthorAktas, GÜlsen BetÜlAuthorJauset-Rubio, MiriamAuthorSvobodová, MarkétaAuthorO'Sullivan, Ciara K.Author

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December 30, 2019
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One-Pot SELEX: Identification of Specific Aptamers against Diverse Steroid Targets in One Selection

Publicated to:Acs Omega. 4 (23): 20188-20196 - 2019-12-03 4(23), DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.9b02412

Authors: Jauset-Rubio, Miriam; Luz Botero, Mary; Skouridou, Vasso; Betul Aktas, Gulsen; Svobodova, Marketa; Bashammakh, Abdulaziz S; El-Shahawi, Mohammad S; Alyoubi, Abdulrahman O; O'Sullivan, Ciara K

Affiliations

ICREA, Passeig Lluis Companys 23, Barcelona 08010, Spain - Author
King Abdulaziz Univ, Fac Sci, Dept Chem, POB 80203, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia - Author
Univ Rovira & Virgili, Dept Engn Quim, INTERFIBIO Res Grp, Avinguda Paisos Catalans 26, E-43007 Tarragona, Spain - Author

Abstract

Aptamers are well-established biorecognition molecules used in a wide variety of applications for the detection of their respective targets. However, individual SELEX processes typically performed for the identification of aptamers for each target can be quite time-consuming, labor-intensive, and costly. An alternative strategy is proposed herein for the simultaneous identification of different aptamers binding distinct but structurally similar targets in one single selection. This one-pot SELEX approach, using the steroids estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone as model targets, was achieved by combining the benefits of counter-SELEX with the power of next-generation sequencing and bioinformatics analysis. The pools from the last stage of the selection were compared in order to discover sequences with preferential abundance in only one of the pools. This led to the identification of aptamer candidates with potential specificity to a single steroid target. Binding studies demonstrated the high affinity of each selected aptamer for its respective target, and low nanomolar range dissociation constants calculated were similar to those previously reported for steroid-binding aptamers selected using traditional SELEX approaches. Finally, the selected aptamers were exploited in microtiter plate assays, achieving nanomolar limits of detection, while the specificity of these aptamers was also demonstrated. Overall, the one-pot SELEX strategy led to the discovery of aptamers for three different steroid targets in one single selection without compromising their affinity or specificity, demonstrating the power of this approach of aptamer discovery for the simultaneous selection of aptamers against multiple targets.

Keywords

Dna aptamerEvolutionIn-vitro selectionLigandsProgesterone

Quality index

Bibliometric impact. Analysis of the contribution and dissemination channel

The work has been published in the journal Acs Omega due to its progression and the good impact it has achieved in recent years, according to the agency Scopus (SJR), it has become a reference in its field. In the year of publication of the work, 2019, it was in position , thus managing to position itself as a Q1 (Primer Cuartil), in the category Chemical Engineering (Miscellaneous).

From a relative perspective, and based on the normalized impact indicator calculated from World Citations from Scopus Elsevier, it yields a value for the Field-Weighted Citation Impact from the Scopus agency: 1.35, which indicates that, compared to works in the same discipline and in the same year of publication, it ranks as a work cited above average. (source consulted: ESI Nov 14, 2024)

This information is reinforced by other indicators of the same type, which, although dynamic over time and dependent on the set of average global citations at the time of their calculation, consistently position the work at some point among the top 50% most cited in its field:

  • Field Citation Ratio (FCR) from Dimensions: 3.51 (source consulted: Dimensions Jul 2025)

Specifically, and according to different indexing agencies, this work has accumulated citations as of 2025-07-16, the following number of citations:

  • WoS: 30
  • Scopus: 33
  • Europe PMC: 7

Impact and social visibility

From the perspective of influence or social adoption, and based on metrics associated with mentions and interactions provided by agencies specializing in calculating the so-called "Alternative or Social Metrics," we can highlight as of 2025-07-16:

  • The use, from an academic perspective evidenced by the Altmetric agency indicator referring to aggregations made by the personal bibliographic manager Mendeley, gives us a total of: 71.
  • The use of this contribution in bookmarks, code forks, additions to favorite lists for recurrent reading, as well as general views, indicates that someone is using the publication as a basis for their current work. This may be a notable indicator of future more formal and academic citations. This claim is supported by the result of the "Capture" indicator, which yields a total of: 76 (PlumX).

With a more dissemination-oriented intent and targeting more general audiences, we can observe other more global scores such as:

  • The Total Score from Altmetric: 6.

It is essential to present evidence supporting full alignment with institutional principles and guidelines on Open Science and the Conservation and Dissemination of Intellectual Heritage. A clear example of this is:

  • The work has been submitted to a journal whose editorial policy allows open Open Access publication.
  • Assignment of a Handle/URN as an identifier within the deposit in the Institutional Repository: http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11797/imarina6012540

Leadership analysis of institutional authors

This work has been carried out with international collaboration, specifically with researchers from: Saudi Arabia.

There is a significant leadership presence as some of the institution’s authors appear as the first or last signer, detailed as follows: First Author (Jauset Rubio, Miriam) and Last Author (O'SULLIVAN, CIARA KATHLEEN).